How to deinterlace a vhs capture for digital archiving
- Step 1Capture the tape to a file first — Use your capture card/device to produce an MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, M4V, or TS file. Capture at the highest quality your setup allows — deinterlacing can't recover detail the capture didn't record.
- Step 2Drop the capture onto the deinterlacer — The file loads into the browser FFmpeg engine; nothing uploads. SD VHS captures are small, so even long tapes usually fit the 1 GB free cap.
- Step 3Keep Mode on 1 for the archive — Mode
1(yadif=1) outputs progressive frames at the capture's original rate (25p from PAL 25i, 29.97p from NTSC 29.97i), matching the source runtime — the right behaviour for an archive copy. - Step 4Consider keeping the raw capture as a master — If you're preserving heirloom footage, archive the original interlaced capture as the preservation master and treat this deinterlaced MP4 as the access/viewing copy. Deinterlacing interpolates and is not reversible.
- Step 5Run the deinterlace — JAD runs yadif, re-encodes to H.264 CRF 20 preset medium, and copies the audio. SD resolution keeps this quick even on WASM.
- Step 6Download and store with metadata — Download the MP4 and store it with a clear filename and notes (date, source tape, content). Verify motion is combing-free and audio is in sync before retiring the working capture.
VHS capture format → archive settings
VHS is SD interlaced. yadif handles PAL and NTSC identically; Mode 1 keeps the runtime.
| Capture standard | Typical capture | Mode | Archive output |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAL | 720×576, 25i | 1 (yadif=1) | 720×576 25p H.264 MP4 |
| NTSC | 720×480, 29.97i | 1 (yadif=1) | 720×480 29.97p H.264 MP4 |
| Worn tape, irregular fields | 576i / 480i | 1 (yadif=1) | yadif auto-detects field order |
Preservation vs. access copy
Archival best practice often keeps two copies. The deinterlacer produces the access copy.
| Copy | What it is | How to make it |
|---|---|---|
| Preservation master | Raw interlaced capture, untouched | Keep the capture file as-is |
| Access copy | Deinterlaced, plays everywhere | This tool, Mode 1 → H.264 MP4 |
| Clipped highlights | Short shareable cuts | Lossless trimmer on either copy |
Tier limits for VHS captures
SD captures are small; the free tier handles most full-length tapes.
| Tier | Max file size | Batch files |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 1 GB | 1 |
| Pro | 10 GB | 5 |
| Pro-media | 100 GB | 50 |
| Developer | 100 GB | Unlimited |
Cookbook
VHS-archiving deinterlace recipes with the exact yadif call and the archive copy each produces.
PAL family tape to a progressive archive
A 720×576 25i capture of a family tape. Mode 1 produces a clean 25p archive matching the original runtime.
Input: wedding_1994.avi, 720x576, 25i (PAL capture) Mode: 1 Filter: -vf yadif=1 Output: wedding_1994.mp4, 720x576, 25p, H.264, runtime matched
NTSC home video to archive
A 720×480 29.97i NTSC capture. Mode 1 yields 29.97p.
Input: home_video.mkv, 720x480, 29.97i Mode: 1 Output: home_video.mp4, 720x480, 29.97p, audio copied
Keep the raw capture, archive the deinterlaced copy
Two-copy workflow: the original interlaced capture is the preservation master; the deinterlaced MP4 is the access copy.
Master: capture_raw.avi (interlaced, stored untouched) Access: deinterlacer Mode 1 → capture_access.mp4 (progressive) Store both; share/view the access copy.
Preserve the tape's original (noisy) audio
VHS audio is often hissy but is part of the record. Stream-copy keeps it exactly as captured.
Input: tape.avi, mono/stereo analogue audio (hiss) Mode: 1 Audio: copied verbatim (hiss preserved), in sync Output: tape.mp4
Clip a highlight after archiving
To share a moment without re-encoding the whole archive, trim the deinterlaced MP4 losslessly.
Step 1: deinterlacer Mode 1 → full archive MP4 Step 2: /video-tools/lossless-trimmer → 30s highlight, no re-encode
Edge cases and what actually happens
Deinterlacing is not reversible
By designyadif interpolates the missing field lines; you cannot reconstruct the original interlaced fields from the output. For heirloom footage, keep the raw interlaced capture as the preservation master and treat the deinterlaced MP4 as the access copy.
Worn tape with irregular field order
HandledVHS capture cards sometimes set field-order flags wrong, and worn tape can have inconsistent fields. yadif auto-detects field order per-frame rather than trusting a single flag, which is why it handles tape captures well. There's no manual override needed.
Output is always MP4
By designWhatever container your capture card produced (often AVI), the deinterlaced archive copy is MP4. This is a good archive format; if you specifically want MKV, transcode afterwards.
Capture is already progressive
AvoidSome capture setups deinterlace on the fly. If your capture is already progressive, don't run yadif again — it would only soften it. Check for combing on a paused motion frame first.
Deinterlaced copy looks softer than the capture
ExpectedField interpolation is softer than the raw interlaced source. This is inherent to deinterlacing. There's no sharpen option here; if you sharpen, do it in an editor and keep the raw capture untouched.
Very long tape over the free cap
RejectedA long high-bitrate SD capture can exceed 1 GB on the free tier. Pro raises it to 10 GB. Over the cap the file is rejected; split it with the video splitter or upgrade.
Tape noise/dropouts remain
ExpectedDeinterlacing doesn't denoise or repair dropouts — it only removes combing. Tape noise, head-switching lines, and tracking errors stay in the output. Those need dedicated restoration tools, not this one.
Capture in an exotic codec the WASM build can't read
ErrorIf your capture card used an unusual codec, you may see a Deinterlace failed log tail. Remux the capture to a standard MP4/AVI/MKV first, then deinterlace.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my VHS capture have comb lines?
The VHS signal is interlaced — each frame is two fields captured a moment apart. On a progressive screen both fields show at once, so motion combs. Deinterlacing with yadif rebuilds proper progressive frames and removes the combing.
Which mode should I use for archiving?
Mode 1. It keeps the capture's native frame rate (25p for PAL, 29.97p for NTSC) so the archive matches the source runtime. Mode 0 (bob) doubles the rate, which isn't usually wanted for an archive copy.
Should I keep the original interlaced capture?
For irreplaceable footage, yes. Deinterlacing interpolates and isn't reversible, so archival best practice keeps the raw interlaced capture as the preservation master and treats the deinterlaced MP4 as the access/viewing copy.
Will it clean up tape noise and dropouts?
No. The deinterlacer only removes combing. Tape hiss, head-switching lines, tracking errors, and dropouts remain in the output — those need separate restoration tools.
Is my family footage uploaded anywhere?
No. All processing happens in your browser via FFmpeg.wasm. Your tapes never leave your machine, which matters for private family recordings.
What format is the archive copy?
H.264 video in an MP4 container at CRF 20 — a compact, widely-supported format that will play on virtually any device for years. The original resolution is kept (no upscale or downscale).
Will the original audio be preserved?
Yes, exactly. Audio is stream-copied, so the tape's original soundtrack — hiss and all — is preserved bit-for-bit and stays in sync.
My capture is an AVI — is that okay?
Yes. AVI is a recognised input, along with MP4, MOV, MKV, WEBM, M4V, and TS. The output will be MP4 regardless of the input container.
Why does the archive look a little soft?
Deinterlacing interpolates the missing scan lines, which is softer than the raw interlaced capture. It's unavoidable. Keep the raw capture if absolute fidelity matters; there's no sharpen option in this tool.
How big a capture can I process?
Free allows 1 GB per file, Pro 10 GB, Pro-media and Developer 100 GB. SD VHS captures are small, so most full tapes fit the free tier. There's no duration limit, only the size cap.
Can I share a short clip from the archive?
Yes — after deinterlacing, use the lossless trimmer to cut a highlight from the MP4 with no re-encode, so the clip keeps the archive's quality.
Does it use my GPU?
No. yadif + libx264 run on FFmpeg.wasm (CPU). Other JAD video tools use the hardware WebCodecs path, but deinterlacing doesn't. SD captures are small enough that CPU-bound processing stays quick.
Privacy first
Every JAD Video tool runs entirely in your browser via WebCodecs and FFmpeg (WebAssembly). Your video files never leave your device — verified by zero outbound network requests during processing.